Jude Bellingham is increasingly being seen as having matured within Thomas Tuchel’s squad. How could he not, when he has already proven himself as a match-winner in England’s World Cup 2026 campaign? The midfielder is rising to the occasion in the way that true stars do.
The dynamics of the squad have shifted significantly from Euro 2024, where there was much discussion about how the then-21-year-old was watching the 10-part documentary The Last Dance, which chronicled Michael Jordan’s journey. Certain parallels with the basketball legend were evident. Here was a young, talented attacker who wasn’t afraid to show his confidence and, at times, to be blunt with teammates when they weren’t meeting expectations.
Ian Wright, known for his insightful commentary on Bellingham, has described the midfielder as “an American athlete in terms of confidence.” This perspective highlights the unique approach Bellingham takes to his career, one that reflects a blend of self-belief and assertiveness.
Bellingham, who turned 23 on Monday, is determined to push further in his career. His choices in media appearances and commercial contracts are highly influenced by the US model. One sponsorship deal is reportedly based on equity, a concept that is still relatively uncommon in the UK.
During this World Cup, you can spot Bellingham in Times Square or in an Adidas advertisement featuring Timothée Chalamet. These moments reflect a broader cultural shift, but they also point to something deeper: the idea of “attitude,” as discussed in William C. Rhoden’s book Forty Million Dollar Slaves, which explores the history of Black athletes.
Wright describes Bellingham as having “that kind of confidence saying I write my own scripts… he’s happy to let people know ‘I’m that good, and if the pressure moments come I’m ready to step up.’” This attitude, while powerful, can also bring tensions.
At the heart of this energy lies another dimension: Bellingham is not just adopting the profile of an American sports superstar; he is embracing that of a Black American sports superstar. Think LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Jordan. And this raises an important question: Is Britain ready for a Black superstar? While Bellingham is mixed race, this aspect is clearly part of the conversation.
Wright’s comments came during a public debate about Bellingham’s body language towards teammates and manager Thomas Tuchel, especially after the player had been dropped from the team. This discussion highlights Bellingham’s divisive nature, evident in media headlines and social media reactions.
Dr. Clive Chijioke Nwonka, an associate professor at UCL and editor of Black Arsenal, argues that Bellingham is viewed differently. “It’s even in the trivial things,” he says. David L. Andrews, a professor at the University of Maryland, agrees. He draws a comparison between Bellingham and Meghan Markle, asking whether they would face the same racially-coded criticism if they weren’t Black.
This brings us to a fascinating point about English society’s response to Bellingham. His career is uniquely positioned, and the staging of this World Cup feels timely in many ways.
“Even his celebration is now a metaphor,” Dr. Chijioke Nwonka says. “It’s like he’s saying ‘I’m embracing the platform but also the visibility of me.’” As the World Cup knockouts begin, Bellingham is determined to end England’s long wait for a trophy. This ambition comes with the risk of disappointment and backlash, but he is unafraid to face it.
The attitude is rather American, yet distinctly Bellingham’s own. Even the site of England’s first knockout game, Atlanta, is steeped in the United States’ racial history. A significant number of enslaved people were taken from the area now covered by the Democratic Republic of Congo. This history is reflected in institutions like the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
“America has been rooted in racial polarization from the start,” Andrews explains. This openness, a willingness to share personal stories, has contributed to the archetype of the Black superstar. “There’s a lack of reticence,” Dr. Chijioke Nwonka concludes.
Andrews’ doctoral work suggests that the Jordan model evolved out of Ronald Reagan’s America, though other factors like the rise of the Chicago Bulls and Nike played a role. “It was a celebration of hard-bodied American hyper-individualism,” he says. Today, Blackness is more visible and commercially mobilized, albeit in a strategically managed way.
Dr. Chijioke Nwonka emphasizes the relevance of The Last Dance in this context. “The conditions were primed for Jordan to become a phenomenon. The NBA is the most prominent exemplar of this, about uplift, arrival, the American Dream, all of these things are heavily encoded in sport culture.”
Rhoden notes how the concept of “attitude” has evolved over time. In 1957, “having an attitude” was considered negative for African American athletes. By the 1990s, it had become a positive trait, associated with hipness and boldness.
Enter Bellingham, who is external to British society. “All of Bellingham’s predecessors had to go through rites of passage in English football,” Dr. Chijioke Nwonka explains. “But Bellingham became an anomaly, coming through German football and Real Madrid.”
This new perspective has brought him into the spotlight in a different way. “We’ve come to understand him through tournament football, once every two years, and that’s a whole new sphere for British society,” he adds.
Andrews argues that British society hasn’t fully addressed the racialized nature of English football since the 1970s. This is evident in pronounced contrasts: while Black players make up around 43% of the Premier League, their representation in coaching staff, boardrooms, and fanbases remains low.
“We haven’t had that model, like Bellingham, who is much more alive to American popular culture parlances,” Dr. Chijioke Nwonka says. “The UK, it’s come out of a culture of trade unions, of sameness.”
Some reactions are immediate. Former teammates and opposition players have privately mentioned how Bellingham’s “attitude” annoys them. This was visible in the 0-0 draw with Ghana.
This is actually very Real Madrid, as well as American, but not necessarily very English. Hence Wright talking about how Bellingham “is too uppity” for some people. “That Irish term of begrudgery is actually quite a good word for what Wright describes,” Andrews says. “When people refer to how it’s not the English way of doing things, it is about the white way of doing things.”
Wright elaborates by describing how N’Golo Kante was loved because “he’s a humble Black man.” “Someone like Jude frightens these people because of his capability and the inspiration he can give. Because if you are outspoken, Black, and playing to that level and not caring, that frightens certain people.”
Dr. Chijioke Nwonka argues the racial politics here are covert, unlike in America, where it’s overt. “There are subtle ways and camouflages that bring in race politics for Black players,” he proffers.
Now, there's a lot of admiration for Bellingham within the squad, and that might attract followers of his own. Andrews cites Ben Carrington of USC Annenberg, who wrote about the influence of American Black culture on British minority populations through “music, dress, dance, sport, and politics.”
“You saw it during Black Lives Matter, where issues of black politics and identity were taken up much more visibly and consistently by the Premier League context than many American sports leagues, particularly the NFL.”
By the same token, the central thesis of Rhoden’s book cautions against going too far with this in the States. “Every African American accomplishment in sports has – for more than two centuries now – triggered a knee-jerk backlash from forces within the white majority.”
Andrews nevertheless points to how language has evolved. Another difference is how central that superstar profile now is. “American pop culture almost demands from these superstars, it requires you to be something removed from everyday society,” Dr. Chijioke Nwonka says.
And now, Bellingham demands more from England. Another undercurrent of his international career has been over his place in various “leadership groups,” of how this is still Harry Kane’s team rather than his.
Many in football nevertheless believe that it is Bellingham’s very brashness, that new mentality, that is actually required to finally lead this team over the line. That can be seen in the key moments of this campaign so far, the goals against Croatia and Panama. It’s all quite Jordan, all very “clutch,” as they say in American sports.
It may be the culture around the English team that has to mature, as much as its young star.
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